Lasting machine



Feb. 5, 1946. w J. 5. KAMBORIAN 2,394,310

LASTING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v I 9?\\ I I 0 l JJL F17 l F I i If Pa I J I? J .9

Feb. 5, 1946. J. 5. KAMBORIAN LASTING mwnnm Filed Jlily 27, 194:

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 jna'erva i" M W m Feb. 5, 1946. J. 5. KAMBORIAN 2,394,310

LASTING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ff 7; 15 f 11; 2" 11 76 1 I flfi 0 F 4/ e0 6 11a Patented 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' I IASTING MACHINE Jacob S. Kainborian, West Newton, Mass. Application July 27, 1953, Serial No. 496,267

12 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and more particularly to a machine for lasting the heel and forepart portions.

In lasting shoe uppers in accordance with good shoe making practice, the uppers are pulled snugly about the last and held under tension while the marginal portion or lasting allowance is wiped in and secured to the marginal portions of the insole structure,. thereby insuring conformity of the upper about the last. Such a procedure, if performed by hand, requires the exercise of considerable skill, and when, as is customary, a lasting machine is employed, the usual prior machine embodies a relatively expensive and complicated mechanism, the use of which requires a skilled operator.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a lasting machine which is of relatively simple construction and which is reliable and emcient in operation, being capable of exertin and maintaining the required tension on the upper while the lasting allowance is being wiped in and secured in place, thereby insuring the desired conformity of the upper about the last.

Further objects relate to various features of construction and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of lasting machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, similar to Fig. 1, but showing certain parts removed;

' Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the wiper operating mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the cam embodied in the operating mechanism of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view, with the parts shown in section, of the mechanism for applying pressure to the wipers during the wiping-in operation;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a, modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing a simplified form of the invention, particularly suitable for lasting the forepart of a shoe.

In accordance with the present invention a shoe upper and insole are assembled about a last and a layer of suitable cement is then applied to the lasting. allowance and corresponding marginal portions of the insole in the usual'manner.

The assemblage is then positioned in a lasting machine of the present invention comprising a support constructed and arranged so as to hold the assembled upper and last with the insole and lasting-allowance disposed uppermost in a substantially horizontal position so that the side portions and lasting allowance of either the forepart or heel portion may be substantially simultaneously acted upon by pressure members and wipers, conjointly effective to draw the upper more tightly about the last and wipe in the lasting allowance. To thisend the pressure members are mounted at an inclined angle on each side of the support and are relatively movable thereto, and the wipers are mounted on a head or other suitable supporting means which is likewise movable relative to the support, the pressure members and wipers being interconnected with a suitable operating mechanism efiectiveto bring the wipers into operative position and substantially simultaneously actuate the pressure members. In addition, the machine may also include an actuating mechanism responsive to the operation of the wipers for effecting a downward movement of the supporting head or otherwise acting on the wipers so as to cause them to exert an additional pressure on the marginal portions of the upper as they are being wiped in.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 8, the embodiment shown therein comprises a bench or stand I having a top 2 positioned at a convenient height for the operator and which carries an adjustable support 3 and associated set screw 4, the support 3 having a spindle 5 or other suitable means for firmly holding a last L with an assembled shoe upper U and insole I (Fig. 4) thereon, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4. Mounted on each side of the support 3 is a fixed sleeve 6 which constitutes a guide' for an elongate slide 1 on whose upper end there is mounted an adjustable pad or cushion 8 engageable with the quarter or rear portion of the upper U, as illustrated in Fig. 4. As shown (Fig. 4) the longitudinal axis of the slide is so inclined as to make an acute angle with that portion of the surface of the shoe upper which is engaged by the pad. The lower end of each pressure member is formed so as to provide a follower l0 engageable with a cam I l which is carried by one end of a rotatable shaft [2 mounted in a bearing I 4 fixed to the top 2. The construction and arrangement of parts are such that when the shafts I! are rotated through an angle of the order of the cams H act on the pressure members I to bring their cushioned ends 8 into engagement with the sides of the upper and thus to exert an upward stress on the upper such as to draw the upper upwardly and tightly about the last.

The rear of the top 2 supports an upwardly and forwardly extending neck 15 formed with a vertically extending dovetailed groove I8 (Fig. 3) which receives the vertical wall I8 01' an L- shaped head 28 and slidably supports the same for movement toward and away from the support 3. The rear face of the wall I8 carries a laterally extending bracket 22, the outer end of which is ivotally connected to the upper end of a vertically extending actuating rod 24 slidably mounted in sleeves 25 and 26 suitably secured to the neck is and stand I, respectively. Tension springs 28 and 28 cooperate normally to hold the head 28 and rod 24 in their uppermost position so that the head 28 is disposed a few inches above the last, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The lower end of the rod 24 is connected through a link 38 to a treadle 3| in conventional manner, the construction and arrangement being such that when the treadle is depressed by the operator's foot, the head 28 is lowered to operative position relatively to the last L. Crank arms 32 connect the shafts 12 with a collar 33 carried by the rod 24 so that downward movement of the rod operates the pressure member 1 simultaneously with the lowering of the head 28.

A pair of electrically heated wipers 34, 35 is mounted on the under side of the head 28, the inner ends of the wipers being pivoted to a crosslink 36 which carries an upwardly projecting stud 38 slidable in a slot 38 formed in the head 28, as shown in Fig. 3. The opposite ends of the wipers carry upwardly projecting studs 48 which ride in arcuate slots 4| formed in the head 28, the parts being so designed that when the stud 38 is moved forwardly, the cross-piece 36 and studs 40 cooperate to move the wipers.

Movement of the stud 38 and hence the operation of the wipers 34, 35 is controlled by the mechanism illustrated in Fig. to 7, comprising a cam 58 (Fig. '1) formed with a groove 5| which receives the upwardly projecting end of the stud 38, the groove 5| being so designed that one complete revolution or operating cycle of the cam is effective to reciprocate the stud in slot 38. The cam 58 is screwed or otherwise suitably secured to a one-revolution clutch mechanism 55 (Fig. 5) which is coupled with the drive shaft 51 of either a slow speed motor or a back-gear motor 58 suitably mounted on the wall [8.

The mechanism 55 comprises a sleeve-like member 68 which receives. a shaft 51 and is formed with flange ends 6i and 62, the bore at the lower end of the sleeve being enlarged to receive a thrust bearing 64 by means of which the sleeve is held in assembled relation with the shaft 51 so that the latter may rotate independently of the sleeve and associated parts. Adjacent to its end the shaft 51 is formed with a circumferential slot 86 shaped to provide an abutment 61 horizontally aligned with a transverse opening 88 in the flange 6|, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A spring-pressed latch finger 18 is pivotally mounted within the opening 88, and one end of the latch extends outwardly so as to be engageable with an abutment 1| formed integral with the flange 6|. When the latch 18 swings inwardly under the influence of springs 12 and 13, its locking end 14 is positioned to engage the abutment 81 of the shaft 51 so that the sleeve 68 becomes locked to the shaft 51 to rotate therewith.

Movement of the latch 18 is controlled by a retractible finger 18 slidably mounted in the bore of a sleeve 18 which is of square cross-section and mounted to slide in an opening 18 formed in the head 28. The finger 15 is disposed between the ends of the wipers so as to engage and be retracted by the insole of the shoe being lasted when the head 28 is brought into operative position. A small compression spring 11 (Fig. 5) fitting within the finger 15 and acting on the sleeve 18 through a pin carried by the sleeve and projecting through longitudinally extending slots in the wall of the finger normally holds the finger in extended position. The sleeve 18 is formed with a slot 18 of sufficient size to accommodate the end of latch 18 so that when the sleeve is quickly slid upwardly, the springs 12 and 13 operate to throw the latch into operative engagement with the shaft 51. The sleeve 18 is normally held in lowermost position by a spring 11' mounted within the upper end of a casing 18 which houses the sleeve 18. Upward movement of sleeve 16 is controlled by a spring-pressed latch or dog 88 pivotally mounted in an opening 8| (Fig. 5) in the sleeve, the inner end of the dog being engageable with the upper end of finger 15 and the outer end being engageable with a trip 82 secured to the flange 62. The construction and arrangement of parts are such that when the finger 15 moves upwardly it carries the sleeve upwardly by engagement with the dog 88 a distance sufiicient to permit the latch 18 to operate in the aforesaid manner, whereupon the outer end of the dog 88 engages the trip 82 to effect disengagement of the finger 15 and dog 88, thus restoring the sleeve 16 to the action of spring 11' which is effective to move the sleeve 18 downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5. The elevation of the sleeve 18 permits the sleeve 68 and associated parts to rotate through one revolution, it being noted that when the sleeve 18 moves back to normal position, its upper end portion provides, in effect, a stop arresting further rotation of the sleeve 88, as shown in Fig. 6. One revolution of the sleeve 68 is effective to cause the wipers 34, 35 to make one operating movement in the manner previously explained.

In order to impart an additional pressure on the wipers, the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 8 may be employed, this mechanism comprising a rack 88 rigidly secured to the neck 15 so as to mesh with a gear 8| carried by one end of a shaft 82 which is rotatably mounted in a bracket 83 integral with the rear wall l8, the construction and arrangement being such that rotation of the shaft 82 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 8, lowers the head 28 and associated parts. Rotation of the shaft 82 is controlled by the cam 58 acting through a mechanism which includes a ratchet 88 formed on the end of shaft 82 and operatively associated with a pawl 81 eccentrically mounted on the side of a collar 88 which is freely rotatable on shaft 82. One end f a small tension spring I88 is connected to the periphery of the collar 88 and its opposite end is fixed to the lower end of the wall 18, this spring being effective yieldingly to hold the collar in the position shown in Fig. 8. The periphery of the collar is shaped so as to oppose clockwise rotation, but to permit counterclockwise rotation through an angle of 98 to 188. The pawl 81 is formed with a depending tail I8l engageable by the end of a plunger rod I82 which is slidably mounted in a sleeve I83 carried by the head 28. A compression spring I84, acting on a collar Ill carried by the rod III, normally holds the latter in retracted position relative to the pawl ll. The opposite end of the rod II! is provided with a follower Ill engageable with the periphery of cam II which is formed with a throw or rise element III, the design being such that the rise Ill comes into action when the wipers N, 35 are approaching the limit of wiping-in movement. Thus, the cam 5. acts on therod I02, through ratchet and pawl at, O1 and collar 88, to rotate the shaft 92 through an angle of about 90, thereby effecting a slight downward movement of the head 20 which causes a downward pressure to be exerted by the wipers 84, 3| on the lasting allowance being acted upon, in addition to the pressure being applied by reason of the operation of the treadle ll.

A resum of the operation or the machine is as follows: A last L with an assembled upper U and insole, provided with a layer of cement along their marginal portions, is first mounted on the spindle 5 in alignment with the wipers ll, 35 which, if desired, may be heated to the desired temperature by proper adjustment of the rheostat H (Fig. 1). With the motor 58 turned on and the support properly adjusted, the opera: tor then depresses the treadle 31 which not only brings the wipers downwardly to operative position and simultaneously actuates the pressure members I, but also initiates operation of the wipers by retraction of the finger 15 which contacts the insole on the last L, as above explained. As the wipers approach their limit of inward wiping-in movement, the cam 50 operates, as above explained, to efiect a further downward movement of the head 20 and associated parts which causes the wipers to exert an additional. pressure on the wiped-in portions of the upper. Upon release of the treadle, the pressure memhers I are released and all parts are restored to normal position by the springs 28, 29 preparatory to lasting another shoe.

It will be noted that during the above-described operation the shoe upper is subjected substantially simultaneously to the action of the pressure members I which draw the upper upwardly more tightly about the last, the wiping-in action of the wipers 34, 35 and an added downward pressure exerted by the wipers as they approach the limit of their wiping-in movement. Thus, the lasting allowance is wiped in under pressure as the upper is being drawn upwardly and held firmly about the last, and hence a high degree of conformity of the upper about the last is secured.

The lasting machineillustrated in Fig. 9 is substantially identical in all material particulars to that of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 8, except that the vertically moving head 20 is provided with lateral extensions H which operate the pressure members I. by engagement with arms H6 pivotally connected to supports 8 fixed to the top 2. The arms H6 act through springs I" on similar arms Ill pivotallymounted on supports Ill so as to yieldingly urge their lower ends inwardly against the followers ill of the pressure members I. Thus, as the head 20 descends, the pressure members I are operated by a yielding pressure exerted by springs I20, as distinguished from the relative non-yielding pressure exerted by the cams I l of the previously described embodiment. In all other respects the mechanism may be identical to that previously described.

The lasting machine shown in Fig, 10 provides a simplified arrangement for lasting the iorepart of a shoe, and with the exception of the support and associated parts, the mechanism may be identical to that of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 8, the same or similar reference characters being applied to corresponding parts. In this embodiment the adjustable support 3" comprises an upstanding member having a padded end I23 shaped to receive the Iorepart of the shoe so that it may be firmly held by the operator during the lasting operation. The lasting operation is substantially the same in that the last L and shoe upper U are flrmly held in correct position on the support 3, and the treadle is then operated to bring the head 20 and associated parts into operative position in the manner previously explained.

While I have shown and described difierent desirable embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration, and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lasting machine comprising a support for a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon, two slides disposed one at each side respectively of the support, a'rigid guide for each slide, an upper-engaging pad secured to the upper end of each slide, the guides defining upwardly convergent paths for the slides, said paths making acute angles with the surface of the upper with which the pads contact whereby upward movement of the slides stresses the upper upwardly about the last, wipers relatively movable toward and away 40 from said support and operative to wipe in the marginal portions or said upper over the insole, and means constructed and arranged to eifect a substantially simultaneous relative movement between said support and pressure members and also said support and wipers so that said pressure members act on said upper as said wipers operate to wipe in said marginal portions.

2. A lasting machine comprising a support for holding a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon so that the insole and adjacent parts or the upper are disposed uppermost in a substantially horizontal position, two slides disposed one at each side respectively oi the support, a rigid guide for each slide, an upper-engaging pad secured to the upper end of each slide, the guides defining upwardly convergent paths for the slides, said paths making acuate angles with the surrace of the upper with which the pads contact whereby upward movement of the slides stresses the upper upwardly about the last, a head slidably mounted to move toward and away from said support, wipers carried by said head andarranged to wipe in the marginal portion of the rear of said upper, mechanism for lowering said head and substantially simultaneously effecting the engagement of the pressure members with said upper, and actuating means for operating said wipers when said head descends to a predetermined level.

3. A lasting machine comprising a support for holding a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon so that the insole and adjacent parts of the upper are disposed uppermost in a substantially horizontal position, pressure members slidably mounted at an upwardly inclined angle relative .to said suupport with their upper end portions engageable with the opposite sides or the heel portion oi. said upper so as to urge the upper more tightly about the last, a head slidably mounted to move toward and away from said support, wipers carried by said head and arranged to wipe in the marginal portion of the rear of said upper, mechanism for lowering said head and substantially simultaneously effecting the engagement of the pressure members with said upper, actuating means for said wipers, and a retractible finger associated with said actuating means and operative upon being retracted to effect the operation of said actuating means, said finger being retractible by engagement with said insole when said head moves downwardly to bring said wipers into operative position.

4. A lasting machine comprising a support for a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon, a head slidably mounted to move toward and away from said support, wipers carried by said head and operative to wipe in the marginal portions of the upper over the insole, actuating means for said wipers carried by said head, mechanism for lowering said head to bring said wipers into operative position, means operative when said wipers are lowered to operative position to efiect the operation of said actuating means, and means responsive to the operation of said actuating means for eifecting a downward movement of said head so as to cause said wipers to exert a downward pressure against the marginal portions of the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

5. A lasting machine comprising a support for a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon, pressure members relatively movable toward and away from said support so as to engage the opposite side portions of the upper and act thereon at such an angle as to urge the upper more tightly about the last, wipers relatively movable toward and away from said support and operative to wipe in the marginal portions of said upper over the insole, means constructed and arranged to eiTect a substantially simultaneous relative movement between said support and pressure members and also said support and wipers so that said pressure members act on said upper as said wipers operate to wipe in said marginal portions, and means responsive to the operation of the wiper operating means for efl'ecting a downward movement of said wipers so as to cause said wipers to exert a downward pressure against the marginal portions of the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

6. A lasting machine comprising a support for a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon, pressure members relatively movable toward and away from said support so as to engage the opposite side portions of the upper and act thereon at such an angle as to urge the upper more tightly about the last, wipers relatively movable toward and away from said support and operative to wipe in the marginal portions of said upper over the insole, mechanism operative to effect relative movement between said pressure members and support and substantially simultaneously effect relative movement between said wipers and support thereby to cause said' pressure members to act on said shoe upper during the operation of said wipers, and means responsive to the operation of the wiper operating mechanism for eflecting a downward movement of said wipers so as to cause said wipers to exert a downward pressure against the marginal portions of the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

7. A lasting machine comprising a fixed support for holding a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon, pressure members mounted to move toward and away from said support and having end portions engageable with the sides oi! said uppers so as to urge the upper more tightly about the last in response to downward movement toward said support, wipers mounted to move toward and away from said support and operative in response to movement toward said support to wipe in the marginal portions of said upper over the insole, and mechanism associated with said pressure members and wipers for effecting substantially simultaneous operation thereof and means responsive to the operation of the wiper operating mechanism for effecting a down-1 ward movement 01' said wipers so as to cause said wipers to exert a downward pressure against the marginal portions of the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

8. A lasting machine comprising a fixed support for holding a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon so that the insole and ad- Jacent parts of the upper are disposed uppermost in a substantially horizontal position, pressure members slidably mounted at an upwardly inclined angle relative to said support with their upper end portions engageable with the opposite sides of the heel portion of said upper so as to urge the upper more tightly about the last, a head slidably mounted to move toward and away from said support, wipers carried by said head and arranged to wipe in the marginal portion of the rear of said upper, mechanism for lowering said head and substantially simultaneously effecting the engagement of the pressure members with said upper, actuating means for operating said wipers when said head descends to a predetermined level, and means responsive to the operation of said actuating means for efl'ecting a downward movement of said head so as to cause said wipers to exert a downward pressure against the marginal portions of the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

9. A lasting machine comprising a fixed support for holding a last with an assembled upper and insole thereon so that the insole and adjacent parts of the upper are disposed uppermost in a substantially horizontal position, pressure members slidably mounted at an upwardly inclined angle relative to said support with their upper end portions engageable with the opposite sides of the heel portion of said upper so as to urge the upper more tightly about the last, a head slidably mounted to move toward and away from said support, wipers carried by said head and arranged to wipe in the marginal portion oi the rear of said upper, mechanism for lowering said head and substantially simultaneously eflecting the engagement of the pressure members with said upper, actuating means for said wipers, and a retractible finger associated with said actuating means and operative upon being retracted to effect the operation of said actuating means, said finger being retractible by engagement with said insole when said head moves downwardly to bring said wipers into operative position, and means responsive to the operation of said activating means for effecting a downward movement of said head so as to cause said wipers to exert a downward pressure against the marginal portions of the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

10. In a lastingmachine of the class described,

having a support for holding a last with an assembled shoe upper and insolethereon, a head mounted to move towardand away from said support, wipers mounted on said head for wiping in the lasting allowance of the upper over the insole, and means operative to actuate said wipers when said head moves into operative position relative to said support, said means comprising a motor, clutch mechanism connecting said motor and wipers, and a retractible finger operatively connected with said clutch mechanism and effective upon being retracted to operate said clutch mechanism, said finger projecting outwardly from said head and being engageable with and retractible by the insole when said head moves into operative position.

11. In a lasting machine of the class described, having a support for holding a last with an assembled shoe upper and insole thereon, a head mounted to move toward and away from said support, wipers mounted on said head for wiping in the lasting allowance of the upper over the insole, means operative to actuate said wipers when said head moves into operative position relative to said support, said means comprising a motor, clutch mechanism connecting said motor and wipers, and a retractible finger operatively connected with said clutch mechanism and effective upon being retracted to operate said clutch mechanism, said finger projecting outwardly from said head and being engageable with and retractible by the insole when said head moves into operative position, and means responsive to the operation of the wiper actuating means for eflecting a further movement of said head toward said support so as to cause said wipers to exert a pressure against the marginal portions of the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

12. In a lasting machine of the class described, having a support for holding a last within an assembled shoe upper and insole thereon, a head mounted to move toward and away from said support, wipers mounted on said head for wiping in the lasting allowance of the upper over the insole, means operative to actuate said wipers when said head moves into operative position relative to said support. pressure members slidably mounted at an inclined angle relative to said support with their inner end portions engageable with the sides of the upper, connections between said pressure members and head eflective as said head is moved toward operative position to slide said pressure members toward said support so as to urge the upper more tightly about the last during the wiping in operation, and means responsive to the operation of the wiper actuating means for efiecting a further movement of said head toward said support. so as to cause said wipers to exert a pressure against the marginal portions or the shoe upper simultaneously with the wiping in operation.

JACOB S. KAMBORIAN. 

